"Opportunities like the Australian Leaders Program are truly very rare."

The 2018 Australian Leaders Program featured four experts in the infrastructure and transport sector. As part of its proactive communications strategy, the Council Foundation regularly publishes interviews with its participants.

Richard Sellers was appointed Director-General of the Western Australian Department of Transport in September 2016. His previous position was Director-General of the Department of Mines and Petroleum.

- With the size of a large country and a large part of its population concentrated in a single city, what are the main challenges for your department?

Providing the same level of service to everyone, regardless of where they live in the state, is a major challenge. In the past, some areas lacked accessibility. The city of Perth has grown significantly and now stretches for nearly 150 kilometers. We want to activate and increase the density of public transport in densely populated areas, so that people appreciate public transport and the government's investments more.

In that regard, I'm glad I was able to come and see some of the solutions that have worked in Spain, because we need to find solutions that will work well in Australia.

- The Metronet project represents Perth's commitment to rail. Besides reducing traffic congestion, what other benefits does it aim to achieve?
Just as with Madrid's Calle M-30, when the motorway was buried underground, the city changed; new parks opened, and so on. The Metronet project involved extensive study of how services would be provided, where open spaces would be located, how to create a pleasant environment for the public near train stations, and how to establish attractive residential areas near the stations to encourage people to walk, cycle, or use public transport. Ultimately, the goal was to make the city more livable thanks to the investment in Metronet.

- How is the participation of foreign companies in infrastructure projects in the State viewed?
Western Australia has a long history of foreign investment and collaboration with foreign investors and companies. This includes oil and gas, mining, gold, and industrial projects...this is how businesses grow.

Western Australia is growing, and much of its community is made up of people born outside the country, and it welcomes people of any nationality to carry out projects.

I think that, fortunately, there are a good number of countries with which we share the same values, and where we work in a similar way. What we have seen from Spanish companies in this Program is a good example.

- In general, what is the image of Spanish companies in the country, both socially and from the government's perspective?

For example, the desalination plant, built by a Spanish company, is a remarkable success, marking a turning point for Perth in terms of water management. But if you ask people who built it, few know. However, those of us involved in infrastructure and investment do know that it's a Spanish company and that they know how to do things well.

This isn't the only case; there are other projects that involve Spanish companies. In fact, most Tier-1 companies working in Australia have some kind of collaboration with foreign companies, and it's not uncommon to see Spanish companies involved in these projects.

- What aspects of the Spanish transport system have most impressed you during this program?
Seeing the tram in Zaragoza operating without overhead lines and recharging at each stop has been very useful for me technically. The construction of tunnels to revitalize areas of the city could be very useful for the Metronet project. The port of Barcelona was also a great help: there's significant port planning underway in Fremantle, and seeing what's been achieved in Barcelona has been very useful.

What I mean is, it seems like this trip was designed specifically for me. Every day I've seen good ideas to take into account.

- Do you think policies and initiatives developed in Spain in this sector could be implemented in Australia and vice versa?

I think that, in general, there isn't a clear understanding in Australia of what has been achieved in Spain. People like to come here on holiday, and they know that there are Spanish companies working both here and abroad. But when they see a company name on a building, they don't necessarily know if it's a Spanish, British, or other type of company. That's something we need to improve in our relationship.

- In this sense, do you consider programs like this ALP useful?

I think I'm very fortunate to have been able to participate in this program at all levels. I am grateful for the Foundation's immense generosity in facilitating participation in the Program for people like me, as well as the flexibility they have shown in allowing us to fulfill other commitments.

Opportunities like this are truly rare, and I dare say that in the long run they prove very beneficial for both parties.

Check out the summary of activities for the Leaders Program 2018